Miscellaneous Queries Related to Fosterage
Q1. If a breastfeeding mother nurses her niece/nephew, does the child become Mahram to all the children she bore, or only the child that was also fed during that period?
A1. The fed child will become Mahram to all of the children of the foster parents.
Q2. How much milk is required to be fed from each mother to the other child in order for the children to be regarded as foster siblings?
A2. Fosterage is established by at least one drop of milk entering the throat of the child during the period of fosterage.
Q3. Can the milk be expressed and fed from a bottle?
A3. Yes, if the milk is pumped and placed in a bottle, and then the child drinks that milk, fosterage is established.
Q4. Do the Uncle/Aunt of the fostered child become Mahram based on the above?
A4. Yes, the uncle and aunt (maternal and paternal) are Mahram to the breastfed child.
(كِتَابُ الرَّضَاعِ) قَلِيلُ الرَّضَاعِ وَكَثِيرُهُ إذَا حَصَلَ فِي مُدَّةِ الرَّضَاعِ تَعَلَّقَ بِهِ التَّحْرِيمُ كَذَا فِي الْهِدَايَةِ. قَالَ فِي الْيَنَابِيعِ وَالْقَلِيلُ مُفَسَّرٌ بِمَا يُعْلَمُ أَنَّهُ وَصَلَ إلَى الْجَوْفِ كَذَا فِي السِّرَاجِ الْوَهَّاجِ
(الفتاوى الهندية 1/342)
يُحَرَّمُ عَلَى الرَّضِيعِ أَبَوَاهُ مِنْ الرَّضَاعِ وَأُصُولُهُمَا وَفُرُوعُهُمَا مِنْ النَّسَبِ وَالرَّضَاعِ جَمِيعًا حَتَّى أَنَّ الْمُرْضِعَةَ لَوْ وَلَدَتْ مِنْ هَذَا الرَّجُلِ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ قَبْلَ هَذَا الْإِرْضَاعِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ أَوْ أَرْضَعَتْ رَضِيعًا أَوْ وُلِدَ لِهَذَا الرَّجُلِ مِنْ غَيْرِ هَذِهِ الْمَرْأَةِ قَبْلَ هَذَا الْإِرْضَاعِ أَوْ بَعْدَهُ أَوْ أَرْضَعَتْ امْرَأَةٌ مِنْ لَبَنِهِ رَضِيعًا فَالْكُلُّ إخْوَةُ الرَّضِيعِ وَأَخَوَاتُهُ وَأَوْلَادُهُمْ أَوْلَادُ إخْوَتِهِ وَأَخَوَاتِهِ وَأَخُو الرَّجُلِ عَمُّهُ وَأُخْتُهُ عَمَّتُهُ وَأَخُو الْمُرْضِعَةِ خَالُهُ وَأُخْتُهَا خَالَتُهُ وَكَذَا فِي الْجَدِّ وَالْجَدَّةِ
(الفتاوى الهندية 1/343)
وَكَمَا يَحْصُلُ الرَّضَاعُ بِالْمَصِّ مِنْ الثَّدْيِ يَحْصُلُ بِالصَّبِّ وَالسَّعُوطِ وَالْوَجُورِ كَذَا فِي فَتَاوَى قَاضِي خَانْ.
(الفتاوى الهندية 1/344)
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Muhammad Isa Ali
Date: 20 Rabi-ul-Awwal 1447 / 13 September 2025
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb